Uttam Nagar lawmaker Naresh Balyan being produced before a Delhi court.
| Photo Credit: ANI

The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the police’s stand on a regular bail plea by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Uttam Nagar MLA Naresh Balyan in a Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) case.

Mr. Balyan, a two-time legislator of Uttam Nagar constituency, was arrested in the MCOCA case on December 4, 2024, the day a trial court granted him bail in an alleged extortion case. On January 15, a trial court denied him bail. The AAP MLA’s name was linked with the extortion case last year when a news channel telecast a purported telephonic discussion between a gangster and the lawmaker over “collecting ransom”.

“Give me an interim bail, at least. I am not a criminal,” Mr. Balyan said in his plea.

His lawyer, senior advocate Vikas Pahwa, said the FIR against his client does not even mention the lawmaker by name.

The police’s counsel sought time to file a status report. The court has scheduled the next hearing for January 23.